There must be a reason people do heel flaps. Are they more comfy? Do they fit better? Since I do socks toe-up I've never knitted a heel flap. I've looked for instructions for toe-up heel flaps but not found them. Can someone give me a link or something? I'd really like to give them a try but currently am doing toe-up socks, next time I might try top down just to see how they are done and maybe I can translate it for toe-up but I'd rather not reinvent the wheel. TIA for any help.

__________________~ GG
Happiness is catching that dropped stitch while it's still fixable..

The Following User Says Thank You to GrumpyGramma For This Useful Post:

Hi GG, I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for or even if it helps. I've not attempted socks as of yet, but I'd stumbled upon this top-down pattern months ago and remembered it had a toe up version with a flap. I've posted a link for the toe-up version of the same pattern. The top-down version is the link right below. Both are free downloads and instructions are for either magic loop or dpn's.

Right now finished my first pair of mittens on dpns so I feel ready for socks very soon. Not sure if I should go ahead with the pattern above which is easy enough to follow or get Ann Budd's sock book. I know she has two of them, one of them is more complete I believe. Will have to investigate further.

Those are interesting patterns, Jemm with very neat illustratons of the placement of the parts of the sock. I always thought the heel flap and all the stitch patterns used for it were there to strengthen an area that gets most of the wear.

Those are interesting patterns, Jemm with very neat illustratons of the placement of the parts of the sock. I always thought the heel flap and all the stitch patterns used for it were there to strengthen an area that gets most of the wear.

I wish I knew, although that makes perfect sense. I believe there are quite a few knitters that prefer socks without the flap since it might thicken the heel a bit.

Sock knitting to me is like engineering, I understand very little about it -- it's why I've put it off for such a long time.

Oh, thank you so much for the links, Jemm. I think they may be just what I was looking for and not finding. I've looked at links that say faux heel flap or heel flap for toe up socks but couldn't find just how it's done. That pattern makes it clear. You're wonderful!

If you can knit mittens, you can knit socks. I've yet to use a sock pattern, I learned to do toes and heels and the rest is just spiraling stockinette or ribbing. Whatever socks you decide to do or if you're looking for instructions on how to do it w/o a pattern, be sure to ask any questions you have. I know I have lots of links in my blog thread (link in sig) if you can find them or I can find them and post them for you. I use the Lifestyle Socks method myself, others learned from other sources. The no swatch part was what decided it for me. I just make them fit. Till you learn how, socks are mysterious things that look scary hard. Once you learn how, basic socks are easy. I think you'll enjoy them.

__________________~ GG
Happiness is catching that dropped stitch while it's still fixable..

The Following User Says Thank You to GrumpyGramma For This Useful Post:

Oh, thank you so much for the links, Jemm. I think they may be just what I was looking for and not finding. I've looked at links that say faux heel flap or heel flap for toe up socks but couldn't find just how it's done. That pattern makes it clear. You're wonderful!

If you can knit mittens, you can knit socks. I've yet to use a sock pattern, I learned to do toes and heels and the rest is just spiraling stockinette or ribbing. Whatever socks you decide to do or if you're looking for instructions on how to do it w/o a pattern, be sure to ask any questions you have. I know I have lots of links in my blog thread (link in sig) if you can find them or I can find them and post them for you. I use the Lifestyle Socks method myself, others learned from other sources. The no swatch part was what decided it for me. I just make them fit. Till you learn how, socks are mysterious things that look scary hard. Once you learn how, basic socks are easy. I think you'll enjoy them.

You're so welcome! Glad I could help, I'd love to know how they turn out.

Socks without a pattern?
I'm speechless

With the holidays coming up I don't know when I can start them, but xmas stockings are pretty close to making socks, right?

Thanks so much for the toe-up socks link and for offering to help. Knitters are passionate about their hobby aren't they?

Heel flaps add padding and reinforcement over the Achilles tendon where shoes tend to rub. They also tend to be more comfortable for people with high insteps because of the gusset stitches that are picked up along the heel flap, that are decreased back down.

Liat Gat's free Ravelry pattern for toe up with flap and gusset is the first link below. The second is a tutorial you can watch/review before deciding to work one if you like.